"[W]ith hard work and unselfish commitment, anything is possible," said Steve Rough in delivering the 32nd John W. Webb Lecture. Rough spoke about some of his concerns and hopes for the pharmacy profession and urged listeners to "work each day to be difference makers." Rough's lecture is available at AJHP Onlineahead of print in the October 1 issue. (source: ASHP NewsLink 8.8.17)

ASHP is soliciting comments from members and other qualified individuals on its Draft Guidelines on Pharmacists' Relationships with Industry. People who review the draft guidelines and submit comments by September 1 will be acknowledged when ASHP publishes the final document in AJHP and ASHP Best Practices.(source: ASHP NewsLink 8.8.17)

Up to two $75,000 grants will go to pharmacy practice advancement demonstration projects related to practice advancement consistent with the ASHP and ASHP Research and Education Foundation's Practice Advancement Initiative (PAI) and Ambulatory PAI. This is the Foundation's largest grant opportunity of the year. Letters of intent are due by October 3. (source: ASHP NewsLink 8.8.17)

Health systems demand 340B Drug Pricing Program skills. Are you an expert? The Apexus Advanced 340B Operations Certificate connects the dots between policy and operations and gives you the skills to tackle even the toughest implementation challenges. Enroll today and save $100 with code ASHP17M. (source: ASHP NewsLink 8.8.17)

Your Input is Needed: Comments will be accepted until August 11, 2017.

ASHP is soliciting comments on the Draft Therapeutic Position Statement on the Use of Antipsychotic Medications in the Treatment of Adults with Psychotic Disorders. Please review this important draft document, available via this URL:

ASHP acknowledges reviewers when its guidance documents are published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy and ASHP Best Practices. Please include your name and credential as they should appear in the acknowledgments.

The new SafeMedication.com tip "Allergic Reactions to Inactive Ingredients in Medications" explains in patient-friendly terms the oddity of inactive ingredients having the potential to cause allergic reactions. The tip was written by Abby Gallagher of St. Vincent Hospital in Erie, Pa., and Indrani Kar of University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio. SafeMedication.com is ASHP's consumer resource for drug information. (source: ASHP NewsLink 8.1.17)

A new app from the ABIM Foundation makes Choosing Wisely's 500 specialty society recommendations, including the five from ASHP, available to clinicians at the touch of an iPhone screen. Users can filter the recommendations by topic area, society, age, setting, and service. The foundation said the app will be available for iPads within a month and Android devices soon afterward. (source: ASHP NewsLink 8.1.17)

As part of writing regulations to implement sections 503A and 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA has invited the public to nominate drug products and categories of drug products "that present demonstrable difficulties for compounding." This is an opportunity to resubmit earlier nominations with additional information and nominate never-before-considered products for inclusion on the "Difficult to Compound List." (source: ASHP NewsLink 8.1.17)

The new Expanded Access Navigator is intended to help patients, caregivers, and physicians work through the process of accessing investigational treatments that have not been approved by FDA. This online tool was launched on Monday by the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA, pharmaceutical industry, federal government, and patient advocacy organizations. (To find investigational treatments with expanded access programs, use the Advanced Search feature at ClinicalTrials.gov.) (source: ASHP NewsLink 7.25.17)

The program supports practice-based research conducted by pharmacist new investigators and related to advancing pharmacy practice. The primary goal of the program is to support quality research to advance pharmacy practice. September 26 is the deadline to apply for one of the grants. (source: ASHP NewsLink 7.25.17)

As you make plans to celebrate Pharmacy Week, October 15–21, check out ASHP's online planning resource, which features the materials needed to make the celebration really work in a hospital, ambulatory care clinic, or other healthcare setting.(source: ASHP NewsLink 7.25.17)

December 3–7 in Orlando, FL Held annually at the Midyear Clinical Meeting, the Intensive Study and BCOP Clinical Sessions packages provide 4–6 hours of recertification credit approved by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. Each activity is presented as a high-level, interactive discussion on contemporary and emerging issues within each specialty. Some of these live sessions provide recertification credit for more than one specialty. (source: ASHP NewsLink 7.25.17)

Now available in print and ebook formats, ASHP's Introduction to Acute & Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Practice, Second Edition, serves as a primer for pharmacy students and technicians on all aspects of institutional pharmacy practice in hospital and outpatient settings. The book is also a useful reference for new practitioners and anyone else interested in institutional pharmacy's current financial, technological, and distributional systems. (source: ASHP NewsLink 7.25.17)

ASHP's Chapter <800> Answer Book Prepares Pharmacies for New Safety RequirementsThe Chapter <800> Answer Book by Patricia C. Kienle, R.Ph., M.P.A., FASHP, is the first publication to clarify the differences between current practice and the new standards that pharmacies will be required to follow when the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) General Chapter <800> becomes enforceable on July 1, 2018.

Free On-Demand CE Available — Ensuring Readiness for USP Chapter <800>The countdown is on to July 1, 2018, which marks the official implementation date for USP Chapter <800>, "Hazardous Drugs — Handling in healthcare Settings." Hear faculty describe key engineering controls required for compliance with the standards, noting that those controls vary for the three categories of hazardous drugs on the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's hazardous drug list. This activity qualifies for pharmacy law CE. (source: ASHP NewsLink 6.13.17)

Developed in partnership with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, this 100 percent online certificate program includes 51 hours of CE accredited for pharmacy professionals, physicians, and nurses and meets the Certification Board for Professionals in Patient Safety's criteria for up to 51 CPPS hours. Participants who complete the program will not only earn an ASHP Professional Certificate but will have the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and engage in efforts to minimize and eliminate the occurrence of medication errors. (source: ASHP NewsLink 5.23.17)

New ASHP Service: Verifying Residency Completion

With ASHP's new verification service, you no longer need to go through the tenuous, time-consuming process of acquiring a residency completion certificate. The ASHP Credential Verification Service provides a thorough report in just minutes. The information comes from the only comprehensive source for ASHP-accredited residency verification as derived from the original data provided by individual residency programs.

ASHP Consulting, by ASHP, is a new healthcare consulting service providing expert advice on a wide variety of pharmacy practices. ASHP Consulting's credentialed pharmacy experts provide clients with an assessment of programs and services followed by customized, best practice-based recommendations for improving an organization's pharmacy services. (posted 4.18.17)

Download your copy of Pharmacy Forecast 2017 to receive insight into health-system operations and seven other potentially challenging domains for health-system pharmacists and obtain advice on how to approach each of these challenges. The report is based on a survey of Forecast Panelists regarding their expectations of how various developments will unfold in their geographic region by the year 2021. (Source: ASHP NewsLink 4.18.17)

This ASHP Professional Certificate Program is designed for participants to recognize the importance of aseptic processing and develop the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare sterile products safely and effectively. Participants will learn the evolution of aseptic processing as it relates to today's practice standards and be taught the behaviors and skills required of all personnel who compound sterile products. This program provides 17.25 CE hours for pharmacists and technicians. (source: ASHP NewsLink 4.11.17)

AHFS® Clinical Drug Information™ is your comprehensive interactive treatment and drug therapy solution. For 59 years, AHFS Drug Information in print has been the most trusted drug information and safety resource. That information is now digital and seamlessly incorporates current drug shortages information and real-time drug and safety updates. You can easily switch between concise, direct point-of-care, actionable drug information with AHFS DI Essentials, or the full database contents of AHFS Drug Information. It is available through both a responsive web platform and an app for your mobile device. (source: ASHP NewsLink 3.28.17)

Expanded roles for pharmacy technicians require additional training and education. Ensure that your staff is receiving quality CE with a group subscription to PharmacyTechCE.org. Contact Chris Jezowski at cjezowski@ashp.org for volume discounts or to schedule a demonstration.

PTCB Suspends Accredited Education Requirement Originally Planned for 2020 PTCB has decided to suspend the implementation of the planned 2020 accredited education requirement for pharmacy technicians who seek PTCB Certification. PTCB originally announced in 2013 that the requirement would take effect in 2020 as part of a road map of program changes designed to keep pace with the evolution of technician roles in the pharmacy. Read the full story.

Guide to Choices and Challenges for Young Pharmacists

ASHP has released a new book of advice for student pharmacists, residents, and new practitioners. Letters from Rising Pharmacy Stars: Advice on Creating and Advancing Your Career in a Changing Profession, by Susan A. Cantrell, B.S.Pharm., CAE, and Sara J. White, M.S., FASHP, is a collection of compelling letters from 30 early- to mid-career pharmacists who share their experiences and insights with their younger colleagues. The new book is a guide to the choices and challenges that young pharmacists face, a companion to ASHP’s Letters to a Young Pharmacist: Sage Advice on Life and Career from Extraordinary Pharmacists,.

21st Century Cures bill was passed late last year and signed by President Obama. ASHP identified those areas of the law that they think will have some impact on our members, or public health. The law is 1,000 pages so focused only on those provisions with potential impact for pharmacy and public health. (source: ASHP 1.6.17)

New to our online catalog of recertification activities, the Core Therapeutic Modules for recertification provide up to three hours of recertification credit per specialty. For three-year subscription holders, these activities are included and are available in your eLearning account. (source: ASHP NewsLink 12.27.16)

New name, same program. Residents and new practitioners considering a specialty certification can register for this program and gain access to an ASHP review course (live or online), practice test, and Core Therapeutic Modules at no cost. In return, registrants complete their recertification cycle with ASHP for only $10 per month. That price is guaranteed for the entire seven-year recertification cycle. (ASHP NewsLink 12.20.16)

What would you do in your first 90 or 100 days in a new managerial position? Get some ideas and offer your own by joining ASHP's Women in Pharmacy Leadership Connect Community and reading the discussion. The community, which is open to all ASHP members, provides a forum for discussion on the pharmacy workforce's changing demographics and leadership development needs. (source: ASHP NewsLink 11.8.16)

Supported by the David A. Zilz Leaders for the Future Fund How likely is it that by 2020, the salaries of newly hired entry-level pharmacy technicians in health systems will increase by at least 25 percent? Find out by visiting the "Pharmacy Work Force" section on page 25 of the Pharmacy Forecast 2016-2020. The report offers a unique perspective on predictions in eight domains that may prove to be challenging for health-system pharmacy practice leaders. For more information and to download a free copy, visit www.ashpfoundation.org/pharmacyforecast. (Source: ASHP State Affiliate NewsLink 8.30.16)

What began as the ASHP-ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative has evolved into the Practice Advancement Initiative, a national movement to improve pharmacy practice and patient care in both acute and ambulatory care settings. Learn more about how to get involved by viewing the video. (source: ASHP 7.26.16)

Mark your calendar for noon ET on the 2nd Tuesday of each month UNC Pharmacy Grand Rounds provides monthly live CE webcasts to subscribers across the country. Over 75% of our group purchasers set up in a meeting room during live webcasts to not only benefit from CE, but also from learning and discussing as a team. Subscribers also enjoy the convenience of having an archived version of the webcast available if they are unable to attend the live event. Purchase now to ensure access to all of the live webcasts scheduled for the next 12 months as well as archived versions for those who cannot attend the live event. A bonus of an additional 12 archived topics (for a total of 24 hours of CE) are available to new subscribers for a short time. Click for a complete listing. If you are interested in a group subscription, including volume discounts and free administrative access to track progress and participation, email Chris Jezowski.

ASHP's Mentor Match allows members to connect within the ASHP Connect member community and establish mentoring relationships. Please sign up as a mentor, mentee, or both and connect with others to expand and enhance your professional network. Once in ASHP Connect, click on the "Mentoring" tab and use the left navigation bar to enroll. Enroll in Mentor Match

Speaking Opportunities

The Leadership Speakers Bureau (LSB) provides pharmacy students the opportunity to speak with a health-system leader on the importance of building leadership skills. The LSB, launched as an initiative by the Center for Health-System Pharmacy Leadership in 2009 in response to needs expressed by pharmacy students, is a resource for student societies to host a leadership event. The LSB provides funding and a way of connecting with health-system pharmacy leaders who present the importance of leadership development as a necessary part of their professional development.

ASHP’s clinical, professional, drug information, and educational resources are now easier to access than ever with ASHP eBooks. Use the ASHP eBooks platform as an app on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices to view your online purchases, or download them to your computer with the iOffline . Make a purchase through the ASHP eBooks store (direct link for state), then bookmark, highlight, and instantly post content on social media platforms. Once you have ordered your books through the ASHP eBooks store, then download the app by searching ASHP eBooks in the App Stores. Make sure you use the code CT2014 to benefit your state. Order at http://ebooks.ashp.org